Improvement in portable folding boats



N. A. OSGOOD. Portable Folding-Boat. No. 200,664.

Patented Feb. 26, 1878.

lNV u/ ATTORNEY NJErF-RS, PHDTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D C PATENTDFFIGE.

NATHANIEL A; 'O SGODI), ()F

BATTLE GREEK, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT lN PORTABLE FOLDING BOATS.

. Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 200,664, datedFebruary 26, 1878; application filed February 11,1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL A. Oseoon, of Battle Creek, county ofOalhoun, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Folding or Portable Boats, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a perspective view of my improved boat. Fig. 2 is a sideview of the boat when folded. Fig. 3 is a transverse section through theboat. Fig. 4 is a side view of the boat, partly in section. Fig. 5 is atop view of a section of one end of the boat, and Fig. 6 is a side viewof one of the ribs, partly in section.

Similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all thefigures.

The invention relates to that class of boats in which the body orcovering is formed of a skin of suitable flexible water -proof material,and in which, also, the frame-work is adapted to be folded, so that theboat can be brought into a compact form for packing or for transportingthe same from place to place.

My invention consists in forming the body of the boat of transverse ribsor knees, connected only by the skin or canvas which forms the covering,whereby the boat is adapted to be folded into compact form fortransportation; and it further consists in certain details ofconstruction, hereinafter explained.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents the ribs, one of which isshown in Fig. 6, the dotted lines showing one of the ribs previous toits being bent into the desired form, and the full. lines when thusbent. These ribs are slit, as shown at a a, Fig. 6,

said slits extending from each end for about one-third the lcn gth, forfacilitating the bending of the ribs. The two ends or arm formed by theslit at each end are connected together, when the ribs are bent in thedesired form, by means of straps a and bolts a and said straps formingloops or eyes, through which a cord or rope, B, passes, the ends of saidcords being secured to the bow and stern posts of the boat. Around theribs, and connected thereto in any usual or preferred way, as also tothe rope or cord, is placed a skin or canvas body, 0, said body beingfurther connected to the bow and stern posts. These parts, when inplace, form the body and covering of the boat, and the ribs, beingconnected only by the flexible covering and rope, are adapted to befolded together into the compact form shown in Fig. 2, and said rope,when the body is stretched, forms the gunwale to the boat.

For stretching the boat out into the desired form for use, a bottomboard, D, is employed, made in sections, which together extend theentire length of the boat. These sections are connected together andheld in place by means of bars d, which pass through staples d, securedupon the sections of the bottom board D, and in such manner as to breakjoints with the joints in said board D. The bottom is further held inplace by means of pins secured in the end boards of the bottom, andwhich enter perforations formed in the lower ends of the bow and sternposts.

E is a rib or bar secured to one of the sections of the bottom board D,and to the upright ends of which the rowlocks are secured; and F is afolding seat, which is also secured to one of the sections of the bottomboard, said seat being adapted to be folded .snugly down upon saidsection, and to be removed and folded with the bottom board fortransportation.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The transverse ribs or knees forming the body of the boat, connectedand held in their parallel relation to each other by means of theflexible covering only, in the manner and for the purpose substantiallyas described.

2. The body of the boat, composed of the parallel ribs and the flexiblecovering ap plied thereto, as described, in combination with thesectional or divided bottom board, secured in place for holding the boatin its extended form, substantially as described.

3. The ribs or knees, provided with the loops 5. The combination of thefolding seat with the removable bottom board, substantially asdescribed.

NATHANIEL A. OSGOOD.

Witnesses A. V. POWELL, ED. W. PARKER.

